32nd Sunday of the Year
Dear Parishioners
I would like to share with you these words of Jesus taken from St. Matthew’s gospel:
“A lawyer asked Jesus, “Which is the greatest commandment?” Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. And a second is like it, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew: 22: 35-39).
So in the light of Jesus’ words:
Will you help to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus for the well-being of us all by wearing a face covering in crowded places, on public transport and would you keep an element of social distancing between people you do not usually associate with?
Why? Well, Jesus said: “love your neighbour.”
Would you consider having a Covid vaccination and flu jab if you haven’t already done so, or your booster jab, for the sake of the common good. Would you encourage others to do the same?
Why? Well, Jesus said: “love your neighbour.”
Will you help to reduce global warming and climate change for the well being of the world wide community by reducing the number of holidays you take abroad by plane, by recycling more waste, by conserving heat and light?
Why? Well, Jesus said: “love your neighbour.”
Jonathan van Tam, the deputy Chief Medical Officer, also encourages us to think of others when it comes to the current situation of Covid-19 in our country. He begins by telling us Covid hasn’t gone away, the pandemic is still with us. He reminds us that vaccination doesn’t make us immune to catching Covid – it hopefully prevents us becoming seriously ill and needing hospital treatment; nor does natural immunity, if we have had Covid, prevent us from catching it again. That is why the vaccination programme is so important for everyone.
Currently we are still doing all we can to ensure St. Patrick’s Church is as Covid safe as we can make it in keeping with Bishop Robert’s instruction. Sanitising your hands, social distancing, the wearing of face coverings, cleaning the church after each celebration and the maximum capacity of 70 for funerals and Mass are still in place.
Thanks to our volunteer stewards we continue to celebrate Mass on Tuesdays at 10am and on Sundays at 10.30am. We do not at present breach our capacity for the celebration of Sunday Mass, so there is no longer a need for you to book a place in advance, nor does the Government require you to provide Test and Trace details.
As we must continue to clean the church after each celebration, the rear of the church will remain closed to reduce the demands on our stewards who sanitise the benches after you leave. Could you help as a steward on a rota basis, either during the week or over a weekend? Please get in touch if you can.
As the number of new cases in Gateshead is still high, with 890 in the last seven days, please do all you can to be cautious in your everyday life choices which not only affect ourselves, but impact on others too, including the NHS on which we all rely at times.
Please pray for our fellow parishioners and all those in our community who have recently tested positive for Covid-19, and please continue to look after one another.
May God bless you and your loved ones and may he protect us from all harm.
Fr. Patterson
Mass to view online
Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral on Sunday at 11.30 am.
Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, Jesmond celebrated live at 10am on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 4pm. These Masses may also be viewed later.
Mass Intentions for the coming week
With the exception of Sunday and Tuesday, Fr. Patterson will celebrate Mass privately during the week remembering the following Intentions. Bishop Robert asks that Face coverings should still be worn in our churches.
- Monday – Albert Lagan
- Tuesday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – Vin Dolan
- Wednesday: Paul and David Clay
- Thursday – Funeral Mass for Connie Stout – by invitation only. Covid restrictions apply
- Friday – The sick, their families, NHS staff & Care Workers
- Saturday – Fr. Patterson’s intentions
- Sunday: 10.30 in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners
When you are unable to celebrate Mass with us in Church, you may wish to make this act of spiritual communion:
Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
In case you are not aware, a parish priest is obliged to celebrate Mass for the “Intentions of the Parishioners” every Sunday or Holyday, which prevents him from fulfilling personal intentions on those occasions.
Please keep in your prayers this week:
- all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital and Fr. Kevin Daly who is ill and,
- all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Paul Clay, Vin Dolan, Albert Lagan
A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors
Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch. In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.
A time to pray
Please join together in prayer for the 141,588 people who have died in our country from the coronavirus. (Friday’s figure):
Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died from the coronavirus, surround us and all who mourn with your compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief, protect us from despair and give us grace to persevere and face the future with hope. We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.
A prayer for those who are afraid
God of all hope we call on you today.
We pray for those who are living in fear:
Fear of Covid-19, fear for loved ones, fear of what the future holds.
May your Spirit give us a sense of calmness and peace. Amen
A prayer for the people of Afghanistan
May those who are fleeing, find sanctuary,
may those who are staying, find safety,
may those who are fighting, find peace,
may those whose hearts are breaking, find comfort,
may those who see no future, find hope.
Remembrance Sunday …
… is celebrated next weekend. It is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those who have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. We remember the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those that have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism.
The poppy is a symbol of Remembrance and hope, including hope for a positive future and peaceful world. They are a show of support for the Armed Forces community, those currently serving, ex-serving personnel and their families; and a symbol of Remembrance for all those who have fallen in conflict.
In the spring of 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, wrote his now famous poem after seeing poppies growing in battle-scarred fields.
In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ Fields.
Remembering those who died since the Pandemic began
Since the Pandemic began, the ways in which we have been able to say goodbye to our loved ones and to celebrate their funerals, whether they died with the Coronavirus or of other causes, have been severely restricted.
Bishop Robert has asked us to dedicate the month of November to remembering them all.
We remembered them in prayer during our shared parish Mass last Tuesday, the Feast of All Souls.
Their names will be taken to St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle where they will be remembered during a Requiem Mass celebrated by Bishop Robert on Saturday 27th November at 11.00. It is hoped parishioners will be welcome to attend this Mass subject to the Covid restrictions in place at the time.
Their names will also be entered into our parish Book of Remembrance.
Respect for one another – Be aware of personal space and personal choice.
We have lived through a lot since the pandemic started so let us be kind and respect one another. Be aware of personal space and personal choice. Some people might not be ready to hug, kiss, shake hands or reduce social distance. Don’t assume what people are comfortable with. Instead, ask them and respect their personal choices.
Statistics show that the uptake of the Covid vaccine in our region has slowed considerably, so it is important for us all to do what we can to encourage people we know to consider being vaccinated if they haven’t already done so. Pope Francis urges us to do so in this video message. Please accept your invitation for a “Booster jab” when you receive it and do consider having a flu jab too.
Community Counselling Service
Bheith Ann is a new Community Counselling Service available to all residents of Felling and the wider Gateshead area and is taking referrals for those individuals with issues such as Bereavement and Grief, Loneliness, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Relationship Problems, Post-Trauma Experiences and Bullying.
This is a free confidential services delivered by a team of dedicated, trained counsellors strictly in line with national professional Codes of Ethical Practice. To make a referral, please ring the Bheith Ann Referral Helpline on 07425 768 957. If you simply want more information about the Service please ring Neil Campbell on 07903 239 983.
St. Patrick’s Boundary Wall.
The work of rebuilding the southern boundary wall of St. Patrick’s Church with Caxton House using the original stone, at a cost of £25,000, is progressing well – the weather has been on the side of the workman!
Fr. Patterson is very grateful for a donation of £50.00 received during the week towards the cost. Should you wish to make a donation it may be placed in the box at the front of the church or put through the presbytery letterbox. Alternatively you may choose to make a donation by Bank transfer for which you will require the following details: Account name: DHN Felling St Patrick; Sort code: 40-34-18; Account No: 52010453. Donations. Thank you.
Your ongoing financial support is welcomed and needed
Fr. Patterson continues to be grateful for your offerings during these difficult times and is especially grateful to those parishioners who regularly contribute to parish funds by standing order helping us meet the regular financial commitments of our churches.
You may bring your envelopes to Mass on Tuesdays or Sundays or drop them through the presbytery letterbox. For security reason, envelopes should not be put through the letterbox of St. Alban’s Presbytery.
The parish is still able to reclaim the tax from Gift Aided offertory contributions made by bank transfer. It would be helpful to enter your name and Gift Aid envelope number as the reference when making the transfer.
The details for bank transfers/standing orders and cheques are as follows:
St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984
St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453
COP26
It can be quite difficult to understand the whole concept of the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. There is plenty of “jargon!”
Why the world is getting hotter – and how you can help. This video provides an insight into the discussions and why it is important that we all play our part.
In the video, the Guardian’s Phoebe Weston breaks down all the climate jargon we have been hearing and explains what we – and most importantly, our governments – need to do to help protect our planet and its future
COP26: What is the Glasgow climate conference and why is it important?This news also helps us to understand why COP26 is so important.
With apologies to those of you who do not have internet access and cannot access the items mentioned above.
Zoe Covid weekly update
Professor Tim Spector talks this week how rates of COVID infection are finally in decline after rising for weeks. Could this be the last peak of 2021? Tim also reveals some new findings on non-COVID respiratory illnesses.
He continues to remind us that as well as the “classic symptoms” of Covid, (a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of taste or smell), there are more symptoms emerging, namely a headache accompanied by a runny nose, sore throat, sneezing and a cough. It may just be a summer cold, but check it out by taking a Lateral Flow Test. These kits are available from the local chemist, are free of charge and simple to use. Check out the Zoe blog Do I have Covid or a cold?
Parish News by Email
If you are aware of parishioners who would like to receive the Newsletter and other news from the parish by email, please ask them to email Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk and they will be added to our contact list.
